Many motorists are unaware that their policies do not cover them for misfueling their cars, an insurance brokers group has warned.

The British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) said many policies do not cover drivers who mistakenly put diesel in their unleaded car or vice versa.

They said drivers are at risk of landing themselves with bills of up to £5,000 for repair work if they make the mistake and find they are not covered.

Technical and Corporate Affairs Executive at BIBA, Graeme Trudgill, said that with the rise of diesel-fuelled vehicles on the road, it is something that people should be looking out for when selecting an insurance policy.

He said, "It is important to speak to your insurance broker to arrange a fully comprehensive policy that covers these unexpected risks."

According to the Association, 150,000 misfuelling incidents take place each year. 95 per cent of cases see drivers put petrol into a diesel vehicle because the wider diesel filler neck takes the narrower unleaded nozzle.

Trudgill added that no-one is immune to the problem, citing the £280,000 repair bill racked up by the Metropolitan Police last year for fixing vehicles filled up with the wrong fuel.

The cost of repairs range from £300 for a fuel drain, to over £5,000 if the car is driven and serious damage is caused to the engine.

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